A Dangerous Observer

by Amanda DeWees

One man. Two wives. Many secrets.

1858: Heiress Eleanor Fairley marries Connor Blake, a heroic veteran of the Crimean War. Only after he takes her to the isolated estate of Sterne House does she begin to realize that he may not be what he seems—and that she herself may be no more than a stepping-stone to his true ambitions.

1860: Connor Blake, now a widower, marries penniless beauty Cecily Jaine. In the imposing surroundings of Sterne House, Cecily senses everywhere the presence of her predecessor. The more she learns about her husband’s first wife, the more she suspects that even in death Eleanor’s fate is closely entwined with her own...and that Cecily herself may be in grave danger from her husband.

In the tradition of Amanda DeWees' award-winning gothic romantic suspense novels With This Curse and Sea of Secrets, A Dangerous Observer alternates between the stories of Eleanor and Cecily, two women separated by time but united by the enigmatic man they both married—and the house that keeps their secrets.

Genres: Romance

213 pages, Paperback

Published February 8, 2020

About the author

Amanda DeWees received her PhD in English from the University of Georgia and wrote her dissertation on 19th-century vampire literature—the perfect training, although she didn’t know it at the time, for writing Victorian gothic romance novels. Her books include With This Curse, winner of the 2015 Daphne du Maurier Award in historical mystery/suspense, and the Sybil Ingram Victorian Mysteries series.

Reviews

[InD'tale Magazine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating: 4.5/5.0

This classic Gothic romance follows the genre’s trappings to the letter, yet breaks the mold with a uniquely fresh plot!

Read full review in the 2020 May issue of InD'tale Magazine.

[Pamela · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is written with two time periods, and two wives. A scheming, evil man, who supposedly kills his first wife’s father, and then her to gain her fortune, and property, whose name is Conner Blake . Then he turns around , and marries a younger beauty named Cecily, who he is also going to murder . So you read both ladies histories throughout the book . They each have a chapter, then switch, and the other has the next chapter. It reminded me of the movie Rebecca, since it is very gothic in nature . The doctor helps out both women, but is secretly in love with one The ending had a creepy flair to it, and I approved of the way it ended. I gave it four stars. It had lots of suspense, but the ending was pretty easy to figure out. There is no scorn, like a woman’s scorn, and this one had two.

[Lisa Blackwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

“A Dangerous Observer” marks a return to the traditional Gothic romance for
Amanda DeWees, an author who has clearly established herself as one of the modern masters of the genre (winner of the 2015 Daphne du Maurier Award for historical romantic suspense).

Much of the fun of any genre is working within the expected conventions while providing innovative twists to keep the narrative fresh and engaging. One favorite Gothic tradition is that of the untrustworthy lover (AKA “Somebody’s Trying to Kill Me And I Think It’s My Husband!”) In this case, DeWees delivers in spades (all the better with which to bury the body).

I hate to give away anything with a rehash of the plot, but I will say that one of my favorite parts of the book is the use of split narration, giving us two heroines to care for, love, and cheer on. Each represents a different and distinct type of Gothic heroine. This also allows for multiple romantic possibilities, more intrigue,and more exciting action.

The settings, clothing, and details of daily life are exquisitely described, but they never overshadow the driving central relationships. The mysteries are intriguing and plentiful, both those of the heart and the crime itself. I feel safe in observing that “A Dangerous Observer” will be a happy addition to any library and one to prompt a reader to seek out more of DeWees’s work.

[Julia O'Connell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alternating chapters in A Dangerous Observer tell the parallel stories of two female protagonists, Cecily and Eleanor. Cecily is a young debutante whose entrance into society is dampened by her bleak financial circumstances. Desperate to marry into stability, Cecily is thrilled when the handsome widower Connor Blake sweeps her off her feet. But when she arrives at his seaside estate, Sterne House, she feels the haunting presence of his first wife, Eleanor. Servants refuse to speak of her predecessor’s tragic death, objects seem to move on their own when her back is turned, and even the workers hired to improve the house find their progress hindered by a ghostly presence. But as Cecily digs deeper into this mystery, she realizes she may have more to fear from her husband than from any supernatural presence. Eleanor’s story picks up two years earlier. A young spinster with ambitions of becoming a nurse, Eleanor finds herself disarmed by her architect father’s charming apprentice, Connor Blake. After her father’s untimely death, Connor steps in to comfort and care for Eleanor. But what at first seems like a saving grace soon turns into a nightmare as Connor’s façade slips away and his true ambitions are revealed.

See my full review: https://www.thegothiclibrary.com/a-da...

[Robyn Parker · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve always enjoyed Amanda Dewees’ gothic suspense novels, but it took me awhile to get around to reading this one due to the heaving bosomed heroine portrayed on the cover, reminding me of a Harlequin romance story. I needn’t have worried about it being anything like a Harlequin romance though. It wasn’t quite as gripping as some of Dewees’ other novels, but it was still a good read.

1860 Surrey, England: When penniless debutante Cecily Jaine meets charming widower Connor Blake, it doesn’t take long for her to fall in love with and marry him. But when he takes her to Sterne House, his late wife Eleanor’s family home, Cecily soon begins to feel that the home may be haunted, and by none other than Eleanor herself. The more she learns about Eleanor, and about her new husband, the more Cecily realizes that she is in a very dangerous situation.

Told in split narrative, each chapter alternates between the parallel lives of Cecily and Eleanor.

This was an atmospheric and entertaining mystery. I would recommend to anyone who enjoys gothic suspense novels.

[Darrell Grizzle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another late night’s reading with an Amanda DeWees novel! The “catch” moment for me – the moment when I didn’t want to put the book down, so I kept reading into the night – came about halfway through the novel. The author blends charming romance with thrilling action scenes to tell the stories of Eleanor and Cicely, two women who find themselves captivated, and ultimately betrayed, by the same handsome rogue. Their stories are woven together into a tapestry of intrigue, suspense, and romance. My favorite line comes when Cecily is considering her future: “Or I might become a novelist. One needn’t be respectable to do that.” As indicated by the magnificent cover art, the gothic castle itself plays a major role in the story, with dark hidden passageways and even darker secrets. Highly recommended!

[Peyton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best book I've gotten to read in months. The spooky setting adds wonderfully to the thrill of terror almost every time Conner Blake is on-screen, and both Cecily and Eleanor are so real and strong in their own ways—it was heartbreaking and somewhat frustrating to watch not one, but two women walk right into an abusive relationship, to see all the warning signs that they ignored or didn’t recognize, and then blame themselves for it. But I tell you what, it was a struggle to have to put down when other duties called. It was exciting and creepy and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

[Patricia McAlexander · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novel traces the story of not one, but two heroines, Eleanor and Cecily, and one “dangerous observer”—Connor Blake, the man both sequentially marry, winning them with his handsome face and gaze of “urgent intensity.” Told in chapters alternating between Blake’s first wife, Eleanor, and his second, Cecily, the narrative describes their move to Blake’s family estate, Sterne House, which is “more a castle than house.” With suspense reminiscent of Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca, both women begin to distrust their husband. The book kept me reading to find out their fates.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delightful classic gothic romance. A really fun, light read.